Letter to the 2023 Matriculating Class

Dear New Rice Owl,

On behalf of the Rice University Student Association, congratulations on becoming a Rice Owl and we welcome you as a member of the Student Association! It is an honor to have you join our vibrant community.

The Rice University Student Association is the governing body of all undergraduate students enrolled at Rice University and the 300+ student organizations and is made up of representatives from the 11 residential colleges including your college president and senator. We advocate on behalf of students on the university, local, and state levels. In addition to having representatives serving on the University’s governing committees, the Student Association manages and distributes funding to registered organizations for student-led projects & initiatives.

We are so excited to see what you accomplish here at Rice University and your residential college. As new members of the Student Association, I hope you consider getting involved in our organization to support student voices and opinions. The Student Association has many opportunities for students to work on ideas and projects that they are passionate about.

Your college president & senator will be looking for two New Student Representatives (NSRs) to better assist them in their advocacy on behalf of the student body and to cultivate a new group of student leaders on campus, representing the interests of new students. You can find more information about how to apply to be a New Student Representative at sa.rice.edu/nsr.

Keep up to date with the Student Association and be the first to know about our events by signing up for our mailing list at sa.rice.edu/publicnotice. The Student Association Senate, made up of your college president and senator, meets every Monday at 9 PM in the Kyle Morrow Room in Fondren Library. The first Senate meeting will be Monday, August 21.

We will also be hosting a Kick-Off Town Hall/NSR info session on Wednesday, August 23 at 6 PM, you can RSVP by going to sa.rice.edu/kickoff. We will be giving out information on how to get involved with our directors involved in areas like DEI, student health, and government relations.

I hope you have a wonderful orientation week as you start carving out your place in this community. Remember, it isn’t the buildings or the trees that make this place Rice University. It’s you!

Sincerely,

Solomon Ni, Student Association President